Farrowing rail



Aug. 7, 1923. 1,464,302

W. n... WEINTZ FARROWING RAIL Filed Sept. 5. 1922 /7 I- ll A"? 35.

itlhi W i in WILLIAM L. WEINTZ, OF'OTTAVJA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR- TG J; E. PORTER CORPORA- TION, OLE OTTAWA, ILLR'NOFLS,

1 CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FAREOVJING RAIL.

Application filed September T 0 all 20 720% it may concern:

Be it known that. l, l'Vi Lni'M L; ll 'niiv'rz, a citizen of the United titates, residing at Ottawa, in the county 01" La blalle and btate or lllinois, have invented new and useful improvements in harrowing Rails, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to farrowing rails for hog pens. I

One object of my invention is to provide a positive lock for the rail. requiring that it be moved endwise in one direction to unlock it, thus preventing the rail from being unlocked by the animal in the pen rubbing against it or pushing up on the rail when lowered or mllingdown on it when raised.

A further object arm invention is to make the lock automatic in its action, that is to cause the lockingto take place innnedi atcly the rail. reaches the position to which it is swung.

A further object of my invention is to have the supports for the rail engage and embrace the bottom bar of the/pen and several o't'thc upright filler bars or pickets in order to provide a rigid and strong support for the rail and prevent bending of the parts.

The invention consists 'jlurther in matters hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a pen wall looking at the same from the inside thereoi and showing pivoted thereto a liarrowing rail o'l my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken on line 2- 2 of Fig. 1 and showing the tarrowing rail raised in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view taken on line 3*? of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 1 is a side view 01 011001 the parts of one of the rail supporting castings; and

Fig. 5 is a view of a detail. of construction showing one of the locking pins released from one of: the sockets provided in the part shown in Fig. 4.

F 6 and 7 show the manner in which the rail. is attached towood and concrete or like walls, respectively.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have shown one of the walls of a. hog pen. As illustrated, said wall comprises upper and lower 5, 1922. Serial no. 536,077.

bars 1 and horizontally arranged and vertically spaced apart by upright tiller bars or pickets 3, 8 extending between and connected with said bars 1, 2 as in wall constructions this general kind.

Located inside of the pen wall thus described is a itarrowing rail 1;. This has pivoted or'hinged connection with said wall at the bottom bar 2 by two littings or castings 5, 5 construttcd in accordance with my invention. Both fittings being alike, a description of one will suffice for both.

is shown in Figs. and 3, a fitting 5 is made in two separable parts or sections 6, 7. These are made substantially semicircular in shape to lit about the bottom bar 2 and are provided. above and below with lugs or cars 8, 5), respectively to receive bolts 10, 1 for clamping the sections 6, 7 to and about the bottom bar 2. Said sections 6, 7 are also made to fit about andembrace the adjacent upright filler bar or picket 3 and to accomplish that said sections are provided with substantially semicircular upright sections 11, 12. The lugs 8, 9 are on opposite side of these upright sections 11, 12 and the bolts 10 engaging the same serve to clamp the upright sections about and embrace the tiller bar or picket as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

By the construction described, the fittings 5, 5 not only engage and embrace the bot tom bar 2 but also engage and embrace the adjacent iiiprightliller bars or pickets 2, thereby providing a rigid and strong'support for the tarrowing rail 1. This holds the parts against bending when the animal in the pen places its entire weight on the rail. 1

The inner section 7 of each casting 5 is provided with a vertically arranged inwardly extending web 13. This is preferably made integral with the section '7 and is provided with a bolt hole 1 1 andtwo sockets or recesses 15, 16 as shown in Fig. 1. These sockets 15. 1G open/through the same side of the web 13 and are on opposite sides of the bolt hole 1*1, one above and the other below said bolt hole 141:, as shown in said Fig. 4. To support the iiai'rowing rail d from the webs 18 of the castings 5, 5 there are provided two bracket arms 17, 17. both clamped at their outer ends to the rail 4: by bolts 17. These arms are arranged opposite the castings 5, 5 so that there is one arm for each casting.

The inner end or each arm 17 is bifurcated as shown in Fig. 3, to provide a space for the adjacent web 13. This positions the members 18, 19 at the bifurcated end of the arm 17 on opposite sides of the web 13 and all of such parts are connected by a pivot bolt 20 which hinges the arm 17 to the web 13. By the structure described, the :tarrowing rail 4 has hinged connection with the pen wall and may be swung from the lowered position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 to 3 to the raised position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 2.

To positively lock and hold the farrowing rail 4 in either lowered or raised position, I provide on the member 18 of each arm 17 an inwardly projecting locking pin 21. adapted to enter either of the recesses 15, 16 in the adajacent web 13. To releasably hold said pin in said recesses, I provide a spring 22 coiled about the pivot bolt 20 and located between the web 13 and the other member 19 of said arm. Said spring seats in a recess 23 in said member 19, as in Figs. 3 and 5. The space between the members 18, 19 is wider than the width of the web 13, thus allowing the pin 21 to be released from either of the sockets 15, 16 by moving the rail 4 endwise in a direction to draw the pin out of the engaged socket, as shown in Fig. 5. When so moved, the member 18 is pulled away from the web 13 and the other member 19 toward it as shown in said Fig. 5.

To limit the downward swing of the rail 4, I provide the member 18 of each bracket arm 17 with a stop lug 24 to engage beneath a stop shoulder 25 on inner section 12 of the adjacent casting 5 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. This relieves the pivot pins 20 of the weight of the animal when on the rail 4.

To unlock the rail and swing it either upward or downward, as may be required, the rail 4 is first moved endwise to release the pins 21 from their engaged sockets (15, 16,) whereupon the rail 4 is swung in the direction required. During this movement the pins ride against the webs 13 between the sockets 15, 16 and that holds the springs 22, 22 compressed. As soon as the pins reach the sockets (15, 16) toward which they are moved, the springs 22 expand and snap the pins into such sockets at the same time moving the rail 4 endwise and effecting a positive lock of the rail in that position. This locking action is automatic and takes effect immediately the parts reach the proper por tion without requiring the workman to do more than swing the rail into the position desired. Making it necessary to move the rail 4 endwise to unlock it prevents the animal in the pen from unlocking the rail by moving against it. Moreover, the lock be ing by pins 21, prevents the animal raising the rail when down by pushing upon it, or swinging it down when raised by pulling down on the same.

For attaching the rail 4 to'either a wood or concrete wall, I employ the form or bracket shown in Figs. 6 and 7. As there shown the web 13 is integral with a fiat plate 26 arranged in the plane of said web, or substantially so, and is provided with a plurality of holes 27, 27, arranged about a larger hole 28. When attaching to a wood wall, post or studding 29, I use bolts 30 through the holes 27, as shown in Fig. 6. When attaching to a concrete or tile wall 31, the plate 26 is embedded in the wall and portions thereof extend through and fill the holes 27, 28 as shown in Fig. 7.

While I have shown and described herein in detail, a farrowing rail embodying the features of my invention, it is of course to be understood that the details of construe tion and arrangement of parts may be variously changed, and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my lnvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a pen wall, of a farrowing rail, means providing pivotal connection for said rail with said wall to permit raising and lowering of said rail, and means for locking said rail-in either raised or lowered position and being re leased upon moving said rail endwise in one direction.

2. The combination with. a pen wall, of a farrowing rail, means adjacent the ends of said rail for pivotally connecting the same with said wall to permit raising and lowering of said rail, and means at said pivotal connections for locking the rail in either raised or lowered position and being simultaneously released upon moving said rail endwise in one direction.

3. The combination with a pen wall, of a farrowing rail, means adjacent the ends of said rail for pivotally connecting the same with said wall to permit raising and lowering oi. said rail, and means at said pivotal connections for locking the rail in either raised or lowered position, said locking means acting automatically to lock the rail in either of said positions immediately the rail reaches the same and being released upon moving said rail endwise in one direction.

4. The combination with a pen wall, of a farrowing rail, means adjacent the ends of said rail for pivotally connecting the same with said wall to permit raising and lowering of said rail, means for locking said rail in either raised or lowered position comprising associated parts on the pen wall and rail, one of said parts having. sockets to receive locking pins on the other, and spring means acting to snap the pins in said sockets when brought opposite same, said spring means acting to releasably hold the said pins in their sockets and permitting withdrawal of the pins therefrom to unlock the rail by moving the latter endwise against said spring means,

5. The combination oi a pen wall having upper and lower bars connected by interposed upright liller bars, of a farrowing rail adjacent the lower bar and arranged substantially parallel thereto, castings adjacent the ends of said rail and engaging and eml'n'acing both the lower bar and the adjacent iiller bars, arms secured to the said. rail opposite said castings and having pivotal connection therewith to permit rais-' ing and lowering of said rail, and coacting means on. said castings and arms for looking the said .rail in either raised or lowered position.

6. The combination with a pen wall having upperand lower bars connected by intel-posed upright iiller bars, of a farrowing rail adjacent said lower bar and arranged substantially parallel thereto, castings adjacent the ends of said rail and each being made of two separable sections shaped to lit about and embrace both the lower bar and the adjacent iiller bar, means for clamping the sections about said bars, the inner sections oi? said castings having inwardly extending webs, arms secured to said rail at said castings and extending toward the same, said arms having their inner ends pivoted to said webs, and locking means carried by said arms and webs for locking said rail in either raised or lowered position, said locking means acting to automatically lock said rail in either of said positions immediately the rail reaches the same.

7. The combination with a pen wall having top and bottom bars connected by interposeifl upright filler bars, of a tar-rowing rail adjacent the bottom bar and arranged substantially parallel thereto, castings adjacent the ends of said rail and each being made oi? two separable sections shaped to it about and embrace the bottom bar and. the

adjacent 'liller bar, means for clamping said castings about said bars, the inner sections of said castings having inwardly extending webs, arms secured to said rail. opposite said castings and having their inner ends bifurcated to receive said webs, pivot pins connecting said arms with said webs, lockmg pins on said arms to enter sockets in said webs, thereby being sockets on opposite sides of said pivot pins to lock the rail in either raised or lowered position, coil springs about said pivot pins to releasably hold said pinsin said sockets and permit the withdrawal oi the pins therefrom by moving said rail endwise in a direction against said springs.

8. The combination with a pen wall having top and bottom bars connected by interposed filler bars, of a far-rowing rail adjacent the bottom bar and arranged substantially parallel thereto, castings adja cent the ends of said rail and each being made of two separable sections shaped to lit about and embrace the bottom. bar and adjacent filler bar, the inner sections of said castings having inwardly extending webs, arms secured to said rail opposite said castings and having their inner ends bifurcated to receive said webs, pivot pins connecting the bifurcated ends of said arms to said webs, locking pins on one of the bifurcated parts of said arms to enter sockets in said webs, said sockets being arranged on opposite sides of said pivot pins for locking said rail in either raised or lowered positions, and coil springs about said pivot pins between said webs and the other of the bifurcated parts ol? said. arms for releasably holding the pins in said sockets, the last named parts having recesses to receive said springs.

9. The combination with a pen wall of: a ital-rowing rail, arms carried by said rail and pivoted to fixed parts on said wall, a stop member on said fixed part to be engaged by lug on said arm to limit the down-- ward swing oi said rail, and co-acting means on said arms and. fixed parts for lock-- ing said rail in either raised or lowered position, said locking means acting automatically to lock said rail in either of said positions immediately the rail reaches the same and being released upon moving said rail endwise in one direction.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aliix my signature this 30th day of August, A. D. 1921.

XVILLIAM L. l/VEINTZ. 

